Plastic composition and process of making same.



G. A. HENDERSON. PLASTIC COMPOSITION AND PROfifSS or MA'KING SAME. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 30, l9!- 1,1 87,314, Pfifenfed June 13,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- HEATER G. A. HENDERSON. PLASTIC comosmou AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 3% I914- Patented June 13, 1916.

-2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- iiiaetnrea I eEoEeE Asa HENDERSON, E sr. ALBANS, wEs'r VIRGINIA.

rnesrrc courosrrroiv AND rEocEss or MAKING SAME.

,To all'whom it may concern: 7 v

' .Be it known that I, GEORGE A. HEN R- .soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Alban's in the county of Kanawha and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plastic Composition and Processesof Making Same, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawmgs,form1ng a part of this specification.

20 insuch structures.

. W'Ihe invention relates to a plastic composition and process for mak1ng the same,

with especial reference to the treatment of woody particles and the manner of their 1ncorporationwith a preservative binder 1n the production of improved paving mate.

rial .to constitute the upper or wearing surface ofpaving structures and my ob ect 1s to provide permanent density andreslliency In carrying out theinventiom'woody fiber, preferably that of hard wood, is prepared by I .shreddingjbillets of wood into particles of from the particles of all sap, pulp and all various sizes and shapes, and the removal other matter than a plurality of woody fibers forming each"particle by first boiling, ret

ting, steaming, or other method known to the trade, simultaneously abnormally enlarging the pores of the particles, followed by the discharge of-the major portion of the moisture therefrom, then grading the particles as to sizes to substantially reduce the voids between them, then mixing theparticles 1n Y a vat with a preservative-binder to preserve the particles and to bind them to each other,

simultaneously applying to the mass, when mixing in the vat, severe and continuous heat to exhaust, or to completely develop, the absorbing efficiency of the particles, simultaneously partially filling the pores therewith, when abnormally enlarged and then'completely filling them by entrapping,

when cooling, and contracting the binder of a preservative nature, which is applied in quantity predetermined in exact relation to the known extent of the pores within, and

voidsfbetween, the particles, which are premeasured by determining the degree of their I expansion from normal and contraction to normal size, and on this basis fixing the quantity of such preservative-binder to be mixed with the particles in one operation as exactly sufiicient to completely fill said Specification of Letters Patent.

- havin Patented June 13, 1916.

' Application flied November 30, 1914. Serial No. 874,934.

pores, when contracted, to coat the particles, to fill the voids between them when comiency, and, therefore, less susceptible to subpressed, and to bind them to each other, all

sequent expansion and contraction by the action of the elements than are such compositions containing vegetable fiber not so treated.

I The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanymg drawmgs which will now be described,

it being premised, however, that various changes may bemade in the apparatus by which the process is carried out, without de-' parting from the spirit and scope 1 of the in-,

vention as defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and artly in vertical sectionof an apparatus a apted for carrying out the invention. Figs.- 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6-;arecross sections through pavements'embodying the product of the invention and having been made by the process.

- Referring to the drawings by numerals,-2

indicates a chippmg, grindin or shredding mill for wood billets, the mi 1 being driven by shaft 4 actuated by pulley 3. A. spout '5 delivers the particles of wood of various sizes and shapes to the vat 6 in which the particles are placed. Vat 6 is provided with steam pi e 7 throughwhichsteam is admitted ,for eating the material within the vat and to extract the juices, and .pulp from the particles and to abnormally enlarge the particles. The matter thus loosened vfrom the woodfibers andextracted therefrom is drawn ofi' from time toutime through outlet cock 8" and may be used in any preferredway as a lay-product.

A dryingoven 9 is suitably located relative to vat 6 and is provided with a pluralityof endless conveyors 10, 11 and 12, which .pass about drums 13, .conveyer 10 being ex- A oven is arranged the gas supply pipe 15 a burner 16 adapted tosupply the heat or the oven. The productsof Lbustion starting fronithis'heater. pass up- 1 ward through; flues 17v and thence out to -jthefistack1 8. The flues'17 extend between cross'flues so th I I ck'hnd forth [passage from the heater to v moisture .is removed from h ugh-gin: 'thi's' step in my processi'the {moisture .contentof the particles may be, i when omitted fromthis'drier, as high as from sevento twelve per cent. Com eyer 12 dischargesbnto, a screen I 14 g j within the chamber '19 forming p r o f'scriloedi-nHots-1r from steam pipes 19?, is rem ved from chamber' 19 by the operation passing through the screen 14 will] thereby" be renderedfree from an impractical quani tity' and-then contain not more than two or three per cent. of vsuch powder, Those particlesof fibrous material which fail to 5 pass through, themesh of fromthe end bf the .screento the mill'l'l:

mon e er 151 which in 'turn returns themto ,(the screen'll i i Discharging from the" chamber 19. the particles, are delivered to the successive screens-21 ;21,antl 21 of grading machine 21 "o'f wditferent mesh for separating the particlesaccording to size, .into four sepay-eee predetermined grades thereof descend- ,ing from those in sizes, when lry {1-x. ,fas thela-rgest, toiimpalpa'ble dust, in themanner; viz.f Screen 14:-l-S prWidedQWith meshwhilch will permit the passage into chamber I 19 f particles of the size that ,will-pass quare=mesh one quarter ;of one' linear ch: indiameter, and be retained 011" aring i e-lia f graduatiiigfrom -that'size on down to i-in 1 ipalpable 11 1st',+a11. particles "to be useclpass ingthisims'hs; In. practice I prefer to us'e eens roflthe" shaker type to those'of th'e' evolting type, known to tlieitradefThe iakingiof thefgscr'eens 1f}, 21- and-21=res lt s Tin the larger, particles thereon being the ,ree'ns whose ,7 sh, will-not permit" dassage througl Screens 21. d 21 contain mesh aim a seale'dscending: )mf;that of the meshji'n screen-14, andby (is n of theinelin'a i them fare; by the 'ioperation of these.

ens, depositedfinto} tlie --re-grinder, in i "the firstinstanee and then into the ,in'easna'lle'r 'quantitygthan thegrade that passes s I ,enii2lq All of-the particles which reach screen 21 pass yme'sh, and are likewise i theencllessc' nveye'r's andareconnectedat at the prodthe discharge I jstack whereby the major 'portionuof, the the particles,

ange grading machinefwhich will now; be (lee I k I h I a portion of the -impalpable poW-cle'r so that the material" screen 14 are delivered iivhere they arev ground ,jan'd delivered to one inch in insitl'e diameter,- and.

1 dust in the proper practical percentages of each mixi'ngitank-22. i j p I =Simultanecmsly a preseryative of acem- 'orked oijthfe top o-frtl'le mass of particles i J heated in kettle in quantity, he rei'natter .p're itJth'eSe screens n11} horizontal the particles which \Vlll not I v vat2s, rom, and in rclatlve'ly agitating blades' 22?,

conveyed to measuring box 21", as shown in the drawing, in greater quantity than,and separate"fromthe other grades. Accordinglythe mesh in: screen" 21 =is" preferably of a size midway between the'size of impalpabledust and the largest; particles, above mentioned, '.or "vi/Q, "i "X-lg" screen 21 being t-midway between: the latter v.size and the largest mesh ofsereen 14, "or of a size r while screen 2,1 is designed to pass all chips which pass: screen 21, and is of'the size 'mes'h 11x1 It will therefore be obvious by reference to the drawing that the Imrtieles which pass screen l-l will be in sizes graduating in descending scale from those 1- to dust those that pass screen -21 being of thesizes ;1-37MX%' graduating in descending scale to-dust,.,while the particles of the sizes between X--z and, the, size i'iXll'i are separated from. the sizes that and -conducted to meas urmg box'fZlP. Likewise the particles of 1 5 pass screen 21,

he "Sizes "betwee11'itx%" and exl-'- are? so separated and conducted to measuring grades, in addition to'the relatively small '2 percentage of impalpable dust remaining,

are measi'lred in such"predetermined quantitiesot' each grade, that when mixed together the resultant volume of theiiflaggregate will be equal to from seventy to ninety percent. of their aggregate 'volume before being so ggu'aded,v 'dependimg on th e nature of the wood seleeteihfor"use in, the earrying'out of the process. "In: practice Ihave discos ered that to accomplish this degree of re- 3 (lu ction-in vjoids between the part-ielesthey shall be gradedin'sizes as follows: Thephr xg-" to impalpable dust, 68%, impalpable The particles are then delivered of theIpa-rticles of various sizes-to the common discharge tilbe 21;which discharges into hopper 22 ctmi'inunicating with the 115.

en'titious. nature, x hereinafter described I ten'iperature of from ;300 1 deg]; ilf ahrg, is delivered througl measuring ,j'or 21 in t'o hopper 22 7 "ibed, andthe then, agitated in the pi eseneie of heat it 22, whieh is open atnits hopper 22mm I outh22 t' 'For the purpose oi such agitatioiiiof the mass of particles and binder a central shaft 22rextending lon,-. gitudiiially through vat 22. isprovhledwith 22," anchored thereto, and revolved by the operation of shaft- 22 and pulley 2 2f ',whichb1ades are so shapedalto agitate and to move the material from the direction of'the hopper 22 toward, and

to be emitted from, themouth 22". In this .mixer v22, which may be of any approved mechanism, in which all of the ingredients -forming the composition are placed and mixed simultaneously, the mass is sufii-' ciently heated,to-wit: to 250 degrees Eahn,

and agitated a suflicient length of time to exhaust, or to completely develop, the absorbing efficiency of the particles, simultaneously absorbing the molten preservativeparticles.

binder with which they are mixed, the quantity thereof being predetermined, as hereinafter described, to only be sufficient to par- .tially impregnate the expanded pores of the When the mass is, in said mixer, at a temperatureiof approximately 250 de greesFahr. and after it has Keen 'sufiiciently agitated and heated asufiipi'ent .length of time to accomplish the purpose aforesaid, it is removed irom the vat and spread on a previouslyprepared road base to a thicknessfof notv exceeding four'inchesr While the particles are then contracting from their hot volume totheir cold volume under the influence of atmospheric temperature, thereb'p" entrapping the, ,contained binder, with chthey are surrounded, to the extent of completely filling the pores therewith-when contracted, the mass is gradually com- .to the extent of causing some of the at preservative-binder to be emitted from the-particles pores to act as a binder of 'the particles in the completed product; only sufficient compression being applied to the d et mass to effect the complete filling of the and voids, and the practical dissemi- 112: {nation of themelted binder throughout the particles and throughout the thickness of throughout the depth and area of the product, but sufliciently to cause the binder to partially exude from the contracted pores to fill the voids between the compressed particles, and to bind them to each other. The mass may be emitted from the mixer and baled for storage and shipment into bales approximately 3 ft.x5 ft. in which event it shall -be reheated to approximately 250 degrees Fahn, before being spread on the road and compressed.

The preservative-binder to be used in my process consists of a wood-preservative of a binding nature, preferably plastic bitumen known to the trade, consisting of a natural or' artificial asphalt, coal-tar or pitch composition, in which the oily constituent is reduced to the minimum, the volume of the composition of bituminous nature, in relation tothe weight thereof being predeterminedin'relatiou to that of the woody particles as hereinafter described. A coating of such a binder may be spread over the surface'and covered by a thin layer of hot sand sprinkled thereon. This coating, when used, is applied after compression isbegun and before completed.

The quantity of binder and-filler of the pores" and'voids is to be determined by first thoroughly drying a quantity of the particles to be used, from which particles have been'removed such matter as sap, pulp and moisture, the particles so graded and the pores thereof so abnormally the pores within and the voids between them aggregate from 40% to by volume of their mass and, in any well known manner, determining the extent of the voids and pores compressed mass of graded, dry wood particles; and then determining, by actual experiment, the degree to, which the articles can be contracted and compresse when mixed with the hot preservative binder, and the mass agitated in the presence of heat,

and then noting the extent of reduction by,

volume from that of the hot, abnormally ensorbing eiiiciency.

In practice, after determining the volume of voids and pores to be filled with the;pre-

servative binder, and after determining the quantity necessary to exactly fill-them when contracted and compressed, and to fill the voids between the particles when contracted and compressed to the extent herein prescribed, I prefer to add to that quantity, be-

fore'mixing the ingredients, approximately from seven to ten per cent. of the same preservative-binder. to' act as the binding agent in the completed product. In this manner is the product rendered comparatively free from-voids, or from an impracticable excess of preservative or binder. In my use of chestnut wood I have found that such voids and pores. when so treated. and when thoroughlv dried and graded, but before being mixed with their preservative-binder, and before compressed, approximate sixty-seven per cent. of the aggregate yolume thereof, while in my use of quebracho 'wood and other hardwoods the porosity of-theparticles, and voids between the aggregate parenlarged that p present within the un-contract ed, unv vlarged woody particles, and of the hot preticle's, are equivalent to from fortyto I seventy per cent. of such volume.

ployed, of pitch, of natural or artificial voids between, andof unfilled" pores within asphalt or other bitumen, depend on the nasuch bound particles, andconse'quent degrees tureot the wood employed as well as the naof density. resiliency, expansionv and c'0n ture of the preservative-binder, when traction of the ingredients forming it.

treated accm dingto my process, viz: 1 pr'e- My invention provides the n eans for (0.)

. i f v ferthe'jparticlcs of hard wood, and I have fixing .the exact quantities essential to. he

obtained excellent results fronr chestnut" known for such agglomerationfof the inwood.;1 articles. in which the particles were gredientsof mycompositionby predeterminso treated, their pores so enlarged, and the ing the extent ,of such pores; and voids and r particles so dried and graded that. two hunof the inevitable expansion and contraction 75' drrdcubic feetthereof; when uncompressed, thereof; for maximum penetration of weighed two thousand pounds; the preserve thebonnd'particles by the binder that coats atii'eflbinder em :)loyed being of natural them, so that the binderfand filler of the j asphalt which was so treated, that two-thon- "voids extends from the core of one particle 1.5 sand pounds of said asphalt unheated, Incasto the core of all others; (0') for improved 0 ur'cd thirtyethree cubic feet in volume. The mechanical clasp between the particles by .basis of sixteen and two-thirds per cent.'of reason of the variety in shape thereof, caus- [one cubic foot of this treated asphalt, measing interlocking with" each other during definred cold, and mixed hot with one cubic foot nite contraction. under gradual compression, of said uncompressed, dried and graded when coolii'ig, which compression is fixed in chestnut wood particles, resulted in the agpoint of degree and of'time,;with relation to 'gregate of one-half of one cubic foot of such contraction; (zl) permanent density mixed material, contracted and compressed and resiliency by the use of woodyparticles in the completed product, .in which were practicallygraded in various predetermined 2-5 present;thirty three per cent. by volume and sizes. in combination with the use of theexfifty percent. by weight of asphalt, with art proportions of such ingredients so pre- I I sixty-seven per cent. by volume and fifty per determined in quantity- I cent. by; weight of comparatively uncon- In view of the degree'of penetration of the tractible, uncompressible solid wood matter, woody particlehlW their hinder evidenced 3 the remaining voids in this completed pa ve'- by my process, stone and: band used in pavmentbeing less By volume than in any other ing. structures 2 e comparatively non-abpavement of which I have knowledge. sorbent; cork V .d'in such compositions In practice I have discovered that the pro vwill-not absorb its binder but is nierely'sun 1 portions to be practically mixed vary ac-- rounded and bound byit; the absorbing efli' 35 cordingto thena ture of the wood and the ,ciency of sa\\'-dust and other Woody parti i degree of its susceptibility to expansion and cles such as those specified in accord with the contraction, in the following ratio of per process disclosed. in my issued Patent No. centagesby weight and volume of the in 1,040,321. of 191:2, heretofore used in such I, v p in w hichA' represents compressed eai-t'ln-B t5 I practical have discovered that my oldmoncrete.baseoGsand,cushi oirfor Dfthe 'me o'd' of shredding wood into particles of .n'onnbiyick surface. .1 represents th fib 5 r I ari I us.predetermined sizes andshapes, eaclrmcom position constructed in: sheet form, the pai'ticlle' composed of a plurality fibersj 'subject of this invention. w 1 i f r Y W naturally, joined together in. indiscriminate I* ig.-;3 is a cross sectional viei'v showing re- 5o,rt'ashion, results in rinter locking with each surtacing'ofa tfvpeotcountry road in, which other during their contraction, under final j A designates the r rth foundation,Ba'worn compressiomand in a distinct advantage, surfaceofsand-clayor othen mixture, while .thi. regard, over tliens'e of woody. particle's: v(I desigip tes the fibrous' -co nposition, the. 'of approximately-uniformsize andsliiipes; subject of this invention; i ,55'nowemployed' in'suchcompositionsl Fi idesignatesg'a e11 'TheTdurability of any-paving structure Maca. 1in pa, .it structure,.in I v depends on: 1 theextentf'to"whicht e Conceteoflyfacadam,.,- /binder is present consistent with its pi ructurc,"'a.n,d B thefibrousiwmiposition the 'itica agglomeratioi'i in the aggregate, in subject of this inve i Fig. 5 is a (:1 meta 1 60,,d1er that th'o life. of the binder may been I i hanced byitsuni-iorm activity under the a, j pavement structure n" which t ionc-oi' t'ratlic; (7))' the extent the binder tion is;designated by ll laid,

'1 penetrates the. particles bound. thereby, [(0) Lon compressed earth' found:

the clli '.:ien'cy ot-the mechanical clasp"be "f-country road purposes. g

: 5 vtweenltl e bound particles, (11) the'extent' of Fig. 6' is across" sectionalview 1 H. K a

the earth I offilirous ofthi nvention, ct of tlns invention lesignates thebpaint t e and fibr com finanufaeniringa eompo drom woody lfiart eles,conshreddmg the wood lll tQ pare ions vispi=edetermined jsh a pes and 'ilcting 1therefrom all 1 lpulp ttelmther than a plurali dy ,eaeh" partiele,abnormally enngv the )artieles and then partiallydryng hempiil Ipartieles in (iinlg rad I rigging: iron i m s -i X} integer of the r i aggregate, i volume in sizes gradu-v .4 to impalpable; (lust,\the latpresent ng trom12'to Bffiot' the aggrethenmeasuring; andmiixing them ton-oportionsthat their volume alent to frmnWOQtG' QQZ; of

oluine; tlien j inixing the binder Iojf preservative na atel f 30(Ydegrees sl e e ethjra' m such a ti es wit reheated to approxi m then multane e expzt nded poi posing the ma vhen ata )0 "degrees Fain-.4 to a coolu to ,eontraet the ingredients iniultaneously f jentrapping the to the extent eompletely Ring, the, eon I acting pores then gradually heie'ncy of the, many fillinei t 5 )inder their; e

thegquantity of such exact relaontra'etlon ided volume,

m predetermined in ieasured expans compression of the ingredients, and bethe, l'nt eles and the voids hetween the tide the Ifinishedj prodiiet, and to them 0 each'othera If 'oeessaof manufae from I variously h ar-ged" woody pane of gradsizes, fromwhiehgvhave been i moved all am ulp and the major. pm-hoe of their aiped, ab-

ionsisting were mixing h, a binder ot preservative heated to 300 degrees iFalh r.', and then agitatijngyth mass in the presence 0 sl ista-ined heat sufficient tofraise l the tempera f ure ,0 the gmass to 250 degreesxFahin, t

amermthe mass to 50% of its expanded volume, s1-

' in relation to measured onipressingvtlie mass, while eoolingto 50% dmerelv .suitioientto exaetly fittthe pores turing a pav- I and completely develop the absorbing eiiicieney of the particles, simultaneously partially filling the expanded pores therewith, and then eompletely fillingthem when eontraetingr, by entrappine' the binder therein, which binder is in quantity predetermined in exaet relation to the measured degree of the ingredients enlargement from and eontraction to normal, then gradually .eompressing 7o multaneously exuding the binder from the pores of the particles in suflieient quantity to. fill the voids betweeirthem and tobind them toeaeh other.

3. A new plastic eon'iposition"eomprisiug woody particles of various shapes and grad ed sizes from whieh sap, pulpy matter and moisture have been ren'ioved, mixed with a binder of preservative nature in proportionate quantities predetermined in the fol lowing ratio, when cold: binder, by volume to 40%,w0od, by volume to TWO, binder, by weight, 30 to (55%, wood, by weight to i 4. A new plastic composition comprising woody particles of various shapes and graded sizes from which sap, pulpy matter-and moisture have been removed, mixed under the influence of heat with a binder of pre; servative nature in quantity predetermined voids within and between. the partieles. i v 5. The method of manufacturing a new pavement structure eonsisting in mixing variously shaped woody particles. of graded sizes, from which have been removed sap, pulp and moisture, with a, binder of preservative nature in the presenee of heat, and then spreading the mixture at a temperature of approxiiuateiy250 degrees Fahr not exceeding four-finches thiek. on a previously prepared road base, and gradualiy compressing; the same tofifiii't'ot its hot VOL ume. the quantity of sueh binder employed having; been determined on the following basis: by measuring the-pores within and voids between the weekly-particles when so treated, expandedand gradeththen deducting from 100 the figure representing the ag gregate volume of surh pores and voids, thereby determining the percentage of solids; then deducting the latter percentage from 50 and tothe resulting figure adding from seven to ten percent.

In testimony whereof, I haye aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses, the 16th day of June 1914. e

GEORGE ASA HENDERSON. "Witnesses: 

